Bachelor's · Cortland, New York

Is Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at State University of New York at Cortland worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 5.5 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $48,937; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $66,891; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $21,999; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $94k (likely $94k – $111k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $29k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in NY; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 5.5 years (likely 4.8–6.4); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$2k (likely −$63k – $46k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $355k (likely $221k – $494k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 72%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 10%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

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🍎 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward teaching & helping people majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP Psychology
AP English Language and Composition
AP Statistics

IB Higher Level

Psychology HL
Language A HL

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